luca_brasi wrote:I've been away from this forum for a while but I'm not surprised that the 'anti-Vail' and 'anti-I-70' arguments are still as strong as ever. Really you all must have little problems in life if your biggest problem is having thousands of acres of controlled ski terrain within 100 miles of an American metropolis of 2 million people, and a corporation (which anyone is free to buy shares of, BTW) that has invested billions to give you access to it.

If you have a problem living in the Front Range--where you can make at least $50k, buy a house for $150/sqft, and a ski pass for $600--then you are welcome to move to a remote ski town like Telluride or Aspen where you can make $25k, buy a house for $500/sqft, and pay $1400 for a ski pass.

i70 and vail are too easy to hate on it so it has a good entertainment factor on an internet forum. My cost of living is cheaper living in the mountains than when I lived in the front range. My ski pass is cheaper as well after figuring in gas.

luca_brasi wrote:I've been away from this forum for a while but I'm not surprised that the 'anti-Vail' and 'anti-I-70' arguments are still as strong as ever. Really you all must have little problems in life if your biggest problem is having thousands of acres of controlled ski terrain within 100 miles of an American metropolis of 2 million people, and a corporation (which anyone is free to buy shares of, BTW) that has invested billions to give you access to it.

If you have a problem living in the Front Range--where you can make at least $50k, buy a house for $150/sqft, and a ski pass for $600--then you are welcome to move to a remote ski town like Telluride or Aspen where you can make $25k, buy a house for $500/sqft, and pay $1400 for a ski pass.

i70 and vail are too easy to hate on it so it has a good entertainment factor on an internet forum. My cost of living is cheaper living in the mountains than when I lived in the front range. My ski pass is cheaper as well after figuring in gas.

You can't deny that I70 traffic is an issue that a growing Colorado needs to face.

ChicagoMike wrote:You can't deny that I70 traffic is an issue that a growing Colorado needs to face.

this is true, but I think the issue is blown out of proportion when comparing traffic problems to other cities. I-25, 36 and metro denver have much worse issues than I-70 ever will. The traffic is only bad maybe 2-3hrs in the morning and afternoon after the lifts close on weekends and is sometimes compounded during bad weather. I doubt CDOT will come up with a permanent solution since any real solution is going to be way too cost prohibitive.

ChicagoMike wrote:You can't deny that I70 traffic is an issue that a growing Colorado needs to face.

this is true, but I think the issue is blown out of proportion when comparing traffic problems to other cities. I-25, 36 and metro denver have much worse issues than I-70 ever will. The traffic is only bad maybe 2-3hrs in the morning and afternoon after the lifts close on weekends and is sometimes compounded during bad weather. I doubt CDOT will come up with a permanent solution since any real solution is going to be way too cost prohibitive.

On a bad Saturday or Sunday afternoon I70 can easily resemble the 405 during rush hour. Agree with the cost issues. Monorail is not the answer.

With all the I-70 chatter on this thread, I think that is 1/2 the reason so many people hate the resorts so much. Being in Colorado Springs, I miss I-25/I-70 and take the "back route". Approximately 2 hours to Breck and occasionally you have to pass somebody... but all in all a pretty chill drive. I've been talked into taking I-25/I-70 to get to A-Basin before, it's a terrible idea/terrible drive/rather not get read-ended and die on my way to ride. It is a buzz kill.

I-25/I-70 works fine on weekdays for my daytrips to Loveland or even A-Basin. I've generally only been slowed down at 470 & 285 during rush hours. The back way to A-Basin is a few miles shorter and a whole lot more pleasant, but definitely takes longer under normal weekday traffic due to slower limits and slogging through Woodland Park, Fairplay, Breckenridge, etc.

So did anybody ride the new gondola Friday? Its a bummer that Vail's opening day and the gondola opening was impacted by lack of snow. I think it was open to foot traffic on Friday only, and the only skiing/riding right now is on the WROD/Born Free. Not terribly unusual to not have mid-Vail open for skiing on Nov 16, but hopefully it snows next week and they get it open. I look forward to seeing the comments on the gondola once it is open, and if it changes the dynamics of the mountain.

We hiked up and downloaded the new gondy Friday. I'll try & stay outta' the Vail debate. I can say it's wicked fast. It's gonna dump a ton of skiers up at MidVail real fast on powder mornings. We just hope they have a plan for that cluster.

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Steve Knapp wrote:So did anybody ride the new gondola Friday? Its a bummer that Vail's opening day and the gondola opening was impacted by lack of snow. I think it was open to foot traffic on Friday only, and the only skiing/riding right now is on the WROD/Born Free. Not terribly unusual to not have mid-Vail open for skiing on Nov 16, but hopefully it snows next week and they get it open. I look forward to seeing the comments on the gondola once it is open, and if it changes the dynamics of the mountain.

My daughter rode it friday and said it was terrific. Heated with wifi and fast as others have said. Looking forward to riding it this week.

I rode it Friday too, its definitely fast. Not having to crane your neck to check out the Gore is a plus too

As for the "cluster" at Mid-Vail, I don't think its going to be as much of an issue as people think, its just relocating the old "cluster" from the base and at least if you get to Mid-Vail and don't like the crowd you have other options - you can go up Chair 3 instead of 4 or take a catwalk over to 10, 11 or 2. 5 lifts to chose from as opposed to the village only really giving you the one option.

The wait at the base village is going to be much shorter than it used to be, so even though 4 might have a longer line first thing until the crowds clear out to the bowls, I think the overall time if you add up waiting at the village, riding the lift, waiting for 4 and riding 4 is going to be a wash as compared to the Vista Bahn. It just moves the bulk of the wait to 4 now instead of the village. The people it really is going to affect are the ones lapping chair 4 in the morning.

"We want the unpopular challenge. We want to test our intellect!" - Snapcase"You are not what you own" - Fugazi"Life's a mountain not a beach" - Fortune Cookie I got at lunch the other day

gdthomas wrote:My daughter rode it friday and said it was terrific. Heated with wifi and fast as others have said. Looking forward to riding it this week.

I've been to a couple of events at Mid-Vail and about froze my butt off both times. We're hosting an event in March in Mid-Vail and I'm looking forward to having a ride in heated comfort! It'll be interesting to see the dynamics and how the "cluster" moves at Mid-Vail. I'd assume VR hired someone to do a study and consider the possible outcome.

Mountains cast spells on me - Why, because of the way Earth-heaps lie, should I be Chocked by joy mysteriously; stilled or drunken-gay? Why should a brown hill trail Tug at my feet to go? Why should a boggy swale Tune my heart to a nameless tale Mountain marshes know? --- Belle Turnbull ("Mountain-Mad")

"Nothing is so embarrassing as watching someone do something that you said couldn't be done." ---Sam Ewing